


Feels Like Home

by imthekingoftheocean (im_the_king_of_the_ocean)



Series: Pride Month Ficlets 2K18 [5]
Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Multi, demisexual pansexual jim, nobody in this is straight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 07:27:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14972099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/imthekingoftheocean
Summary: Jim goes with Toby to Arcadia's LGBTQ Center for the first time





	Feels Like Home

It felt like home the first time Toby took Jim to Arcadia’s LGBTQ Center.It was a quiet, nondescript building.One you’d pass without batting an eye, and one Jim had on numerous occasions on his bike.According to Toby, that was intended.They didn’t want anyone who’d could cause harm to be able to find the center easily.However, that also made going there like entering a secret world, or at least that’s how Toby described it.A secret world of wonder and rainbows.Literally.They had pride flags everywhere.

That, Jim could attest to when they walked into the center’s main room.There were big pride flags hanging on every wall of, encompassing it, and miniature ones on various shelves, tables, and other surfaces.Jim’s eyes scanned the room until they fell upon the familiar pansexual flag, but it took him a moment longer to find a demisexual one, as it was half-hidden behind another.He released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.Toby had told him it would be fine, that he would be fine- _accepted_ -here, but it was still nice to see evidence of both parts of his identity represented. 

Back when Toby figured out he was queer, it wasn’t very long after that Jim figured out he was too.Though it took him a little longer, and learning a few more labels, to realize the full extent of his identity.Jim was pansexual in that he could feel attracted to just about anyone regardless of gender, but he was demisexual in that he needed a strong emotional connection to them first.Both labels worked in unison with each other to create his full identity.He couldn’t just choose one.Both were him.Both helped him define how he felt about romantic and sexual attraction.And it wasn’t like they were completely separate within him either.They were connected, combined, while also being their own parts within him.

The point was, Jim was demipan.That was his identity, and he was comfortable with it.

“So? Whaddya think? Awesome sauce, right?” Toby plopped down on a squishy beanie seat in one of the center’s sitting areas.“This place is the coolest.”His face scanned Jim’s for the usual signs of anxiety.“You good, Jimbo?”

“This place is pretty cool.” Jim looked around.There weren’t many others around.Maybe it wasn’t a busy time of day?“You come here a lot?”

Toby shrugged.“Yeah, it just sort of has this vibe, you know?Like everything’s nicer when you’re surrounded by rainbows.Ahhhhh.”He settled back in his chair.“I would live here if I could.” 

Jim settled in a cushiony seat next to Toby.He tried to find the most comfortable position.He’d been nervous at first, but everything seemed to be going well so maybe he could relax.Anyway, he was glad to have some time just to hang out with Tobes without something related to trolls happening.Also it was nice to have a place where it was quietly understood that he wasn’t straight.

“Hey, is it cool if we join you guys?”A girl’s voice interrupted Jim’s train of thought.He turned around to see Shannon, and Mary behind her, standing right outside their sitting area.

“Totally!”Toby answered.Then hesitated. “That is, if it’s ok with Jim?”He looked to Jim for confirmation.

Jim nodded.“Yeah, sure.”

The girls sat down.All was well for a moment, but Mary kept looking excitedly between them.

Toby sighed.“Out with it, Mary.Everyone can see you want to say something.”

“So…”She began.“I don’t want to intrude or anything, but are you guys finally A Thing?Cause I have been waiting _forever_ for you to finally figure it out.Ask Shannon—”

“Please, don’t.”Shannon quietly interrupted.“But, if you are, that’s great.I think—”

“We aren’t!I mean no.We, um, Tobes is just showing me the center cause I haven’t been here before since I didn’t, um, I recently figured out that, um, I’m not straight so…” Jim firmly clamped his mouth shut.It would probably be best if he didn’t try to speak anymore.He glanced quickly at Toby, who was giving him a worried look, and then swiftly at his hands.Toby expertly diverted the conversation away from him, so he could have a moment to collect himself.

Ok, sure, Jim sort of had feelings for Toby, but they weren’t anything like _that_.At least he didn’t think they were.It was just, he’d known Toby for as long as he could remember.And he loved Toby more than anyone, except maybe his mom (and even then, he loved them in very different ways).Jim knew he wasn’t attracted to anyone else.But still, maybe the way he felt toward Toby was just the way you felt about really close friends and not actual attraction?It’s not like he had other close friends to compare the way he felt about Toby to.Was it enough of an emotional connection?How could he know?

Toby leaned in close and whispered to him, “You good, Jimbo? 

“Yeah.Yeah, I’m fine.Just wasn’t expecting that.”Jim answered.“Can’t believe she thought we were together there for a second.Weird, right?”

Toby laughed, but it was an odd sort of laugh.“Yeah, haHa, ha.Totally weird idea.You and me?Pffft.It would never work.I know way too much embarrassing stuff about you from when we were like three.”

“Yeah.”Jim didn’t want to talk about that specific topic anymore.He turned back to Mary and Shannon.“So, um, you guys come here often?”

“Just about every day,” Mary replied.“It’s fun here cause, you know, we don’t have to pretend to be straight all the time.Like at school.”She stopped to give Jim a Look.“You can’t tell anyone about us, got it?”

“I won’t.”

“Good.”Mary grabbed his arm.“Now come with me to get some snacks.I could use your noodly arms to reach the higher shelves in the kitchen.”She pulled him up with strength he didn’t expect her to have and led him to the mini kitchen.Once they were there, Mary spun around to face him.“Look, Lake, I don’t do this often, but I have spent enough time studying romance to know when someone’s a lovesick puppy and you definitely fit the bill, so this is my one-time offer to give you advice on how to ask out the guy of your dreams and, you know, date him.”

Jim gulped.“Yeah, that’s nice and everything, Mary, but I don’t actually—”

“Yes, you do.”Mary took a breath.“Just trust me, ok?You.Are.In.Love.”She poked his chest each time she said a word.

“Yeah, and.”Jim took a breath.“I’m demipan.Sure I can fall in love or whatever, but not really unless I know them really well.I like Tobes and all, but—” Wait.Why was he even explaining all of this to the school gossip?He turned to leave.He’d been thrown off, that was it.Because otherwise, he’d never, _never_ —

“I am too.”

Jim stopped at Mary’s words and the fact that she was smiling widely at him. 

“You’re demisexual pansexual.So am I.I know what that’s like.”Mary paused.“And I would never ever lie about something like that.”She walked up to him.“So I think I can definitely help you, mister.”

“I, um, ok.”Jim took a breath.This hadn’t been what he was expecting when he first agreed to come with Toby to the center, but it was kinda nice?To know someone else was like him.Maybe they could talk about it some time?When she wasn’t trying to get him together with Toby, that was.

But that wasn’t such a bad thought either.


End file.
